Take Our Chances
by protejerinnocencia
Summary: Beth falls ill with a suspected head cold. But when she finds out there's another reason she's been feeling so faint, things get ugly. Can she handle the balancing act? How long will Josh buy the lies? How long can Mick deny the truth?
1. One

**One**

Her heart was racing like she had run a marathon. She was trying to catch her breath, to stop the spinning in her head. Luckily this time she'd been sitting down when the dizziness came on.

"Beth, are you alright?" Mo asked.

"Yeah fine…just…must be coming down a head cold," Beth answered. Mo shook her head but walked away. Beth slowly got to her feet and went for a drink of water. She'd been feeling this way for the last few weeks. She had figured it was just stress from the job. But now she was beginning think something might be wrong with her.

She stuck it out the rest of the morning but decided to call the doctor to make an appointment as soon as possible.

"Beth Turner…yes…no I'd like to make an appointment as soon as I can," she said, growing frustrated with the receptionist.

"Do you have anything today?" Beth asked.

"We have one for three fifteen," the receptionist replied.

"I'll take it," she said and hung up. She looked down at her phone and knew she should call Josh and tell him what was going on. But she didn't want to worry him. He was busy preparing for a case and he couldn't afford to be distracted.

Three fifteen rolled around and Beth found herself sitting in the waiting room, staring down at her hands anxiously. She hoped the doctor could figure out what was wrong with her and provide a remedy quickly. It wasn't doing her career any good to be continually passing out during broadcasts.

"Beth Turner," the nurse called. Beth followed the woman down a short hallway and took a seat in the last room on the left.

"Now, what brings you in today?" the nurse asked.

"Uh…I've been kind of light headed lately. Like uh dizzy spells," Beth answered.

"Anything else?" the nurse asked.

"Not that I can think of," Beth answered.

"Alright, well I'm going to check your heart rate and your blood pressure before the doctor comes in," the woman said and pulled out a stethoscope. She pressed it to Beth's chest and Beth inhaled deeply as best she could.

"Another breath," the nurse instructed. Beth took another breath and then another.

"Ok. Your heart rate is a little elevated. Let's check your blood pressure," she said. She wrapped the cuff around Beth's upper arm and began to tighten the cuff. Her eyes were locked on the gauge as the needle moved.

"And your pressure is low…actually quite low," the nurse mumbled.

"What does that mean?" Beth asked.

"The doctor will explain everything when he comes in," the nurse said, leaving Beth to brood over the odd results. It felt like hours to Beth until the doctor came in. She nearly jumped out of her seat when the door opened.

"Well Beth, it seems like we have a situation here," he said, pulling a seat up across from her.

"What's going on? Am I ok?" she asked.

"Well I'd like to find out why your blood pressure is so low and your heart rate is so elevated. I would like to take a blood sample and send it to the lab," he said.

"Ok…is that all you can do?" she asked.

"Until we get your blood work back, all I can suggest is stay away from strenuous activity and just take it easy. Don't do flights of stairs too quickly," he said. She nodded and offered her arm up. As he prepped the syringe, she couldn't help but think of what Mick's teeth felt like sinking into her flesh. It had been such a strange feeling. It was scary certainly but there had been some kind of pleasure in it too.

"This is going to pinch a little," he said before sticking the needle in. Beth didn't even flinch. Her eyes followed the blood as it filled the vial.

"Just going to take one more," he said and filled a second vial. He pulled the needle point out and placed a piece of gauze over the prick. Beth dabbed at the spot until the blood stopped flowing.

"I'll get these to the lab today and give you a call in a day or two when I have the results back," he said.

"Thanks," she said and stood up. He escorted her back to the waiting area so she could pay for the appointment.

On the drive home she felt a little guilty about not telling Josh. There was another reason she had decided against calling him. She knew he didn't like her spending time with Mick. But he didn't understand, she and Mick had this connection. He had saved her as a child. He was her guardian angel. Of course she couldn't tell Josh any of this because that would prompt him to ask how Mick could have saved her when he would have only been six or seven at the time. She couldn't explain that Mick was a vampire. She had promised to keep that secret.

The next few days passed by painfully slow for Beth. She managed not to faint during work and was glad to be home when the phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello?" she said.

"Ms. Turner, your blood work is back. The doctor would like to schedule a meeting to go over them with you," the receptionist responded.

"Uh ok…when is he free?' Beth asked.

"He has an opening today at four," she said after a brief pause.

"I'll be there," she said and hung up. She checked the clock. She'd gotten off work early but she only had twenty minutes to get to the office. She grabbed her keys and purse and sprinted down to her car. She had to stop for a minute to catch her balance.

"Stairs," she muttered to herself as she climbed into the driver's seat. In record time she pulled into the parking lot and walked as quickly as her body would allow up to the second floor and into the waiting room. She stopped at the reception desk and was told to go right back to the room she'd been in before. She sat down and took several deep breaths. She needed to get her head to stop spinning before the doctor came in.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked when he did finally walk in.

"Uh…I've been better," she answered. He just nodded and pulled out a few pieces of paper.

"So what did the blood work say?" she prompted. He took a deep breath.

"Well your body is working awfully hard right now," he began. She looked at him in confusion. She already knew that.

"Why?" she asked. He cleared his throat and handed her the results. She looked at them. She had seen blood work right ups before but wasn't all that well versed in what they meant.

"You see these lines here," he said, pointing to a couple of colored spikes. She nodded her head and looked up.

"What do they mean?" she asked.

"These are elevated progesterone, estrogen and b-hCG levels," he explained.

"In English please," she said.

"It means you're pregnant, Beth," he said. She stared at him in shock. She couldn't be pregnant…could she?

"You're about six weeks along," he said.

"How do you know that?" Beth demanded.

"Well your hCG levels are fairly strong. That's the hormone that the placenta produces. It is detectible one to two days after implantation," he said. Beth just shook her head.

"So what do I do? I mean…about the heart rate and blood pressure?" she asked.

"I want you to take some prenatal vitamins and schedule an ultrasound as soon as you can. I can recommend an OBGYN if you need one. I just want to make sure the fetus is growing properly and isn't being affected by the low blood pressure," he said. Beth swallowed a couple times to try and calm herself down. She didn't need to pass out now.

"Ok…" she mumbled. He scribbled down the name of a OBGYN and handed it to her. She had a regular OBGYN but she was scared to go there. They had Josh's number and they could call him and tell him before she could.

"Get some rest, hon. That baby needs it as much as you do," the doctor said. Beth stood up and went out to her car. She climbed in but didn't go anywhere. She just let herself succumb to the tears she'd been fighting since the minute the doctor had said 'pregnant'.

She was beginning to put things together, even though it didn't make any sense all. She knew she needed to figure this out quickly. With a deep breath she stuck the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. In about fifteen minutes she was walking towards the elevator. There was no way she was going to make it up the stairs on her own. The elevator dinged and she stepped on, hitting the button for the third floor. It slowly took her up and deposited her right across from the door. She took the few steps to reach it and knocked lightly. She heard footsteps inside and waited.


	2. Two

**Two**

She held her breath as the door handle moved and Mick appeared. They didn't say anything to each other at first. They just looked at each other. Finally Mick cleared his throat and stepped back.

"Come in," he said. Beth hesitated before crossing the threshold into his apartment. Why did this have to be so awkward? 'Because you made it awkward' Beth reminded herself.

"How've you been?" Beth asked, taking the seat he offered her.

"I've been alright," Mick answered. He looked at Beth and could tell she was fidgeting. It was then that he heard it, that extra echoed 'thump' of a heartbeat. His own heart jumped a beat as the realization began to settle upon him.

"How are you?" he asked, leaning forward to place a hand atop hers. She was trying not to cry again.

"Uh…not good," she finally admitted. Before Mick could say anything, Beth had thrown herself into his arms. He held her tightly as she buried her head in his shoulder. He rarely got to hold her like this. He felt her thumping against her chest so quickly he thought it might literally jump out. Mick gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. When she finally let go, he disappeared into the kitchen, returning shortly with a glass of water.

"Thanks," she mumbled, taking a drink. It was now or never had she decided. She had to just say it and get it over with.

"I…I'm pregnant," she blurted.

"I know," Mick said.

"What?" she stammered.

"Super hearing, remember. I heard two heartbeats," he explained. She nodded in understanding. She forgot all the things he could do sometimes.

"So…I bet Josh is excited," he said after a few minutes.

"Josh doesn't know," Beth said.

"I uh…just found out today…I'm six weeks along," she murmured. Mick slowly moved to sit across from her again. He didn't want to get too close.

"But it is Josh's, right?" Mick pressed. It had to be. There was no other explanation.

"Josh and I…haven't slept together in almost two months…we've just been really busy with work and everything," she babbled.

"You don't have to justify it to me, Beth," he said.

"But…if it's not Josh's…" she trailed off.

"Beth just calm down," Mick instructed. He didn't want her to say it. He didn't want to hear it because it just couldn't be true. There had been a reason Coraline had kidnapped her twenty-two years ago. It just wasn't possible. They were just lucky she was still alive after what happened. Beth fell silent, seeming to be thinking the same thing. They hadn't meant for it to happen, at least not at first. She'd pushed him to it. But it had been a time that brought them even closer than she had thought could be. Slowly, her mind wandered back to that night and her gaze drifted off too.

_It had been a breezy night as she had walked from her car to the front door. It was shortly after they'd gotten back from New York, after finding out why Josef didn't think they could be together. Beth couldn't really blame him. She'd seen Sarah, lying there, barely clinging to life and had gotten scared._

_She had tried to make up with Josh but it hadn't gone well. He was still bitter over her going with Mick without saying anything beforehand. So now, Beth was at Mick's, just staring at him. She'd caught him working out. He got up from the ground. He had been doing push ups._

"_I didn't mean to interrupt," she said. He just gave her a smile._

"_No, come in," he said, waving her in as he wiped some of the sweat from his face. She couldn't help but look at his bare chest._

"_How's Josef doing?" she asked, taking her jacket off and laying it on the back of a chair._

"_He's doing alright. Better than expected considering someone tried to kill him," Mick responded. Then, it happened. She couldn't stop herself from kissing him. He didn't back away either. He was a little surprised at first but he welcomed the advance._

"_Beth," he said once they broke apart._

"_I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," she mumbled._

"_It's just…things with Josh and I…didn't go well at all…and all I could think about was…how bad I felt leaving you all alone in New York," she rambled._

"_You've always been there for me, when things got weird…through things Josh could never understand. Mick…" she trailed off, looking up at him. She was begging him with her eyes. He could read the desire within her but he didn't want to go there. It was too dangerous and he could never live with himself if he hurt her._

"_I can't, Beth," he said._

"_Mick…please. Just once," she pleaded._

"_One time is too many," he answered. She grabbed his hands and pressed them to her lips, kissing each fingertip._

"_I know you won't hurt me," she breathed. She let his hands go and walked up the stairs. This all felt so familiar to him. But this time he was sure she wasn't high on vampire blood. Swallowing his unease, he followed her upstairs. By the time he got there she had already shed her shirt and pants. Mick tried to stay focused, to not fixate on her curves._

_In a whirlwind of emotion he had her pinned to the bed. Their lips had met and were tightly locked together. He could feel the heat coming from her very being as he pressed himself closer to her. Beth struggled out of her bra and went to work on Mick's pants._

"_Beth," he breathed. It was like a warning. He could feel his inner vampire aching to get out, to sink his fangs into her soft flesh. But he couldn't. He wouldn't do it. She managed to undo his pants and he kicked them off with ease._

_Moments later he was encased in her folds and they were moving as one. He was trying with every ounce of his strength and willpower to keep the beast from coming out but he failed. His eyes dilated and his fangs appeared._

"_Oh…oh," Beth moaned, arching herself against him. He tried to just rest his head on the pillow beneath her head but it was too much. He searched from the least vulnerable spot and sunk his teeth in. Beth let out a gasp as she felt the sharp punctures in her shoulder. But it seemed to intensify her own orgasm._

_They lay side by side, heaving for breath. Beth looked over at Mick to see he had returned to normal. Propping herself up on her elbow, she reached over and ran her hand along his chest._

"_I told you that you wouldn't hurt me," she whispered._

"Beth," Mick's voice called, drawing her from her memory.

"Huh?" she mumbled.

"You dazed off," Mick said, urging to take another sip of water. She downed the rest of the glass and handed it back to her.

"More?" he asked.

"Please," she answered. He disappeared for a minute. She took the now full glass and set in on the table in front of her.

"I'm sorry for dazing off," she murmured.

"What were you thinking about?" he probed. He thought had an idea but wanted to hear it from her. He didn't want to assume in this situation. Beth couldn't meet his gaze. Could she really tell him what she'd been thinking about?

"That night," she answered, still not looking up.

"So was I," he admitted.

"You were?" she asked with a small laugh.

"I…I shouldn't have forced you," she babbled.

"You didn't force me, Beth," he said, lifting her chin with his hand.

"Beth, look at me," he said. Her eyes finally met his.

"You were right…" he told her.

"I was?" she sniffed.

"Yes…I never thought I could ever love some as much as I love you. And you showed me I don't have to be afraid of hurting you," he explained. Beth cracked a small smile. He gently pulled her to him again. This hug was looser but it was filled with the same amount of emotion as before.

"I think I can get through this…if I have you," Beth whispered.

"Whatever you need," he promised.

They stayed that way for a long while. Beth knew she needed to say what was still on her mind. But she was afraid of ruining the moment. It felt too perfect right now. Mick wanted to help her through this. He wanted to be near her, love her. Not once did Josh cross her mind. In hindsight, that should have been a big flashing sign. But it wasn't. They pulled apart and she took a few more sips of water before speaking. Mick was now sitting on the edge of the table, one of his hands still clasped around her. She took a deep breath before opening her mouth to say the words she knew neither of them really wanted to hear.

"Mick…I think this baby…is yours," she finally said.


	3. Three

**Three**

Mick tried to swallow and to breath but it was as if his lungs forgot how to function properly. He just stared at Beth like she was crazy. She had to be. There was no way it could be his.

"Beth…that's impossible," Mick finally said.

"Why? You're the only other person I've slept with," she argued back.

"Because…vampires can't have children. Why do you think Coraline kidnapped you all those years ago? She wanted to have a family…she wanted to turn you," Mick replied.

"Well it's someone's baby," Beth muttered.

"You're absolutely sure it can't be Josh's?" Mick asked, hoping that there was some sliver of a chance it could be her boyfriend's baby. That would make things so much easier. Beth shook her head in response to his question.

"I told you, he and I haven't slept together in two months," she repeated. Mick ran his hands over his face and let out a long breath. This just couldn't be real. He couldn't have children. He was undead for God sake. He didn't possess that capability anymore.

"It is just not possible for me to be the father, Beth. There has to be some other explanation," he said, starting to get frustrated.

"What about a DNA test? That would prove it," she suggested. Mick stood up and began to pace around. Why wouldn't she just believe he wasn't the father? He had to think this all the way through. If he did do a DNA test, what would they find? Would it reveal that he was a vampire? He couldn't risk that.

"Maybe…but…we have to be careful who we go to. I don't want people reading things they aren't supposed to know," he sighed.

"No one is going to find out you're a vampire, Mick. All we're looking to find out is whether your DNA matches the y chromosomes in the baby," she said. Mick knew what they were supposed to be doing.

"I have a friend at a Bio lab. She'll run it without asking any questions," Beth offered. Mick swallowed a couple times.

"Alright fine," he agreed. He still didn't like this but he was going to do it anyways, just to find out what was really going on.

"I should get home," she said.

"Do you need me to drive you?" he asked.

"I think I'll be ok. Josh is supposed to be coming over for dinner," she explained.

"Are you going to tell him?" Mick asked, inclining his head in the direction of her stomach.

"No…not yet. I mean I want to figure this all out first," Beth answered and stood up. Mick walked her to the door. She pulled on her jacket and turned to face him.

"I'll see you there tomorrow morning at nine," she said.

"Nine," he repeated and watched her walk to the elevator. She gave him a small wave as the doors closed in front of her. Mick just stared at the spot she vacated on his couch. This really couldn't be happening. And if by some bizarre fluke it was true, then how on Earth had it happened? He couldn't think of a single explanation as to how it could be true.

Beth got home just in time to start cooking before Josh arrived. She was glad to be spending some time with him. She just hoped he didn't have any plans for the night that involved anything intimate. She just wasn't ready to tell him the truth.

"How's the case going?" she asked once they sat down to eat.

"It's going. We've got the last few witnesses in the morning and then next week is closing arguments," he answered, taking a sip of wine. Beth had decided on water. She didn't want to risk anything.

"That's good. I know you've been waiting for this trial to be over," she said, taking a bit of chicken.

"We have a pretty strong chance of winning," he added.

"What about you? How's the Buzz?" he asked.

"It's going pretty good. Nothing too interesting really," she answered.

"Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale," he stated after a brief silence.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been focusing on work a lot. Probably should spend some time pampering myself," Beth answered. It wasn't a total lie. She had been focusing on work lately.

"Have you had a day off recently?" he probed.

"Josh…really I'm fine. I just need to not stay up so late doing research and stuff like that," she protested. She needed to keep this a secret as long as she could…at least until tomorrow. But if it really was Mick's baby…did she want to tell Josh? She knew it would put a lot of tension between them. She hated it when they fought, especially over Mick. She wished Josh could understand her and Mick but she knew it was completely not an option, unless Mick gave her the 'ok' to tell him.

"I really think you should take a day off and just relax," he said.

"I'll talk to Mo and see if she'll give me the time off. Being her lead reporter is a demanding job," Beth said.

"That's all I ask," he said, standing up to clear the dishes. He made her sit there while he did it.

"Thanks for cleaning up," she murmured, kissing him on the lips. He glanced at his watch and jumped a little.

"I hate to cut this short hon, but I have to make sure I'm ready for tomorrow," he said. She followed him to the door and after a few minutes of kissing, they parted ways. Beth heaved a sigh of relief after he'd left. She put away a few leftover pots and walked past her computer but didn't sit down. Instead she went straight to bed. She didn't want to miss her appointment with Mick in the morning. As she drifted off to sleep, she held her hands over her stomach, as if trying to feel the little life growing inside of her.

The next morning, Beth woke up at 8 o'clock. She climbed into the shower and let the water sooth away her nerves. She looked down at her stomach and thought she saw a small bump. But it could have been her eyes playing tricks on her. She climbed out and toweled off. She wasn't sure what exactly they were going to need to do so she wore a loose sweatshirt and jeans.

Beth stared at the contents of the fridge and finally decided she would fry some eggs with toast. It wasn't exactly the most flavorful meal but it was relatively quick. She checked her watched as she sat down to eat. She had about twenty five minutes to eat and get to the lab.

Across town, Mick was dragging himself out of his freezer. He really disliked mornings. But Beth needed him and so he was going to be there. He grabbed a very quick shower and dressed. He rummaged around in his hidden fridge for a drink before he left. He needed something to wake him up at any rate. He grabbed vial of A- and poured it into a glass. He downed it in two swallows and left the cup in the sink. He'd clean it out later. With that he headed down to his car and sped off towards the lab. He pulled in just as Beth did.

"Good timing," she said. Mick held his hand over his eyes as they walked inside.

"So who is it that you know here?" he asked as Beth led him down a series of hallways.

"Dr. Alison Lin. She's a friend of mine. She promised she was going to keep this secret…no questions asked," Beth answered as they reached a door. Beth knocked and a woman with dark hair and glasses opened it.

"Hi, come on in," she said. Beth and Mick walked in, Mick shutting the door behind them.

"You can both have a seat," Alison said. She looked between Mick and Beth.

"Well might as well do you first. It's just a quick cheek swab," she said. She pulled out a long q-tip and Mick opened his mouth. She stuck it in and swabbed the inside of his cheek quickly. She pulled it out and capped it.

"Well you're done," she said and turned her attention to Beth.

"I'll…wait outside," he mumbled and stepped out. Beth moved to small bed and Alison produced a rather large needle.

"Uh…does it have to be that big?" Beth asked, sounding scared.

"It won't hurt too much…though you know…an OBGYN really should be doing this," Alison answered.

"You promise, Alison," Beth reminded her.

"I know…I know," she muttered and inserted the needle. Beth flinched a little but it was soon over.

"I'll call you later today with the results," she said.

"Thank you so much," Beth said, giving her friend a hug. She walked out of the room to find Mick.

"She's going to call me later today with the results. When I find out, I'll call you," she said.

"Alright," Mick said. Together, they walked back out to their cars and went their separate ways.


	4. Four

**Four**

The afternoon passed by slowly for Mick. He was anxious to find out what the lab tech found. A part of him was glad they didn't find out immediately. It gave him some more time to try and formulate an argument to prove Beth wrong. He just couldn't get it into his head that this baby could actually be his. He hadn't thought he would be a father since 1952.

At BuzzWire, Beth was trying to get Mo to slow down for a few minutes to talk about taking a few days off. Finally she just decided to stake out her boss' office. Mo walked back in to find Beth sitting in her chair.

"Something I can help you with?" Mo asked.

"I was thinking of taking a few days off. I'm feeling kind off. I went to the doctor's the other day and they told me to get some rest," Beth said, standing up and walking around the desk.

"How many days are we talking here?" Mo inquired.

"Only like two…just enough to recharge my batteries. I think our viewers will understand," Beth answered. Mo let out a breath.

"Alright, go on and get out of here. I'll see you in a few days," she said and Beth gave her a grateful smile. She walked back to her desk and grabbed her coat. Just as she was about to shut down her computer, her cell began to ring. She picked it up and saw it was Alison calling. Panicking slightly, she picked the phone up and tried to shut the computer down with the phone pressed between her ear and shoulder.

"Hello?" Beth said when she finally managed to shut it down. She hurried out of the office and climbed into the elevator. Thankfully it was empty.

"Beth, it's Alison," Alison said on the other end. Beth swallowed and had to hold the trail along the back of the elevator to keep her balance.

"Hey…uh…hang on. I'm in the elevator," she said. She wanted the results but she was still scared. If she could buy a few minutes before hearing the news then maybe she could handle it better. Beth stepped from the elevator and let out a breath. She had parked nearby today which was a miracle.

"Ok, I'm here," she said, climbing into her car. She just sat there. There was no way she was going to be able to drive and listen to what Alison had to say.

"Well I ran the two sets of DNA," Alison began.

"Yeah…what did you find?" Beth probed. It was a simple yes or no answer.

"The DNA was a little peculiar," she continued but Beth cut her off.

"Was it a match or not?" she asked sharply. She hadn't meant to sound that mean. It had just com out.

"Yeah…it's a match. So…you and Josh aren't together anymore?" Alison answered. Beth felt her heart stop for a beat or two. It was Mick's baby. She wasn't too surprised but hearing it confirmed was more upsetting than she'd anticipated.

"Beth, are you still there?" Alison called. Beth cleared her throat.

"Yeah…I'm still here. I uh…I have to go though," she said and hung up. She tossed her phone onto the passenger seat like it was going to burn her if she held onto it any longer.

"Just calm down…everything will be fine," she mumbled to herself. She needed to tell Mick. The sooner she told him, the sooner they could figure out what to do. She buckled her seatbelt but when she went to start the car, she was hit with a dizzy spell. She held her head in her hands until it went away. She should tell him about that too. Once the dizziness had passed she pulled out of the garage and headed for Mick's apartment. She walked up to his door and didn't even have to knock. Mick pulled the door open with her hand in mid-air.

"Come in," he said. He sounded anxious. Beth walked in and heard the door shut behind her. He took her coat and ushered her to the couch. A glass of water was already waiting for her on the tale. She smiled a little at his gesture.

"I guess you heard from…Dr. Lin?" he asked. She slowly nodded her head, taking a sip of water.

"She said the DNA was kind of weird…but she didn't say anything else about it…I sort of cut her off," Beth explained. Mick heaved a small sigh of relief.

"But she said the DNA definitely matches. You are the father," she added. Mick shook his head.

"I know you keep saying it can't be true but it is. How else would you explain it?" she countered.

"I don't know…I honestly have no idea,' Mick answered, sounding defeated. He sat down next to her.

"I have to go to the doctor soon…to make sure everything is ok with the baby. My regular doctor is a little worried…my blood pressure is low," she explained.

"You're heart rate is faster than it should be too," he said offhandedly.

"Yeah…he doesn't really know why," she muttered.

"I've also been having dizzy spells…I think it's just because my hormones are all out of a whack," she added after a slight pause.

"How often are you getting them?" Mick questioned.

"For the last few weeks I guess," she replied.

"Low blood pressure, faster heart beat and fainting spells. That doesn't sound like normal pregnancy to me, Beth," Mick said. Sure he wasn't an obstetrician but he'd b een around long enough to know those sort of symptoms were not normal under any circumstances.

"Do you want me to go with you to the doctor?" he asked. She thought about it for a minute. She really couldn't deny it to him. It was his child too. And it would be less scary with him there by her side.

"Yeah…I think I do," she answered. Mick took her hand in his and squeezed it tightly. Beth let out a sigh and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You have to tell Josh the truth," he blurted.

"No…I can't…not yet," she denied.

"Beth, you owe it to him," Mick retorted.

"He's not going to understand," she mumbled mostly to herself.

"You can't lie to him forever. He's going to figure it out. And when he does, it's going to get ugly," Mick said and stood up.

"I'm scared, ok. I'm having another guy's baby…your baby," she began, trying to fight back tears.

"And part of me is scared to tell Josh because I know he'll freak out…but there is this other part of me that just wants to forget all about Josh…and that part is what scares me the most. That night…I didn't think about Josh at all," she rambled.

"Telling me isn't going to do any good. You have to tell him how you feel. If you have to break up, then do it," Mick shot back, standing up abruptly.

Beth stared at him in shock. She hadn't expected him to say something like that. But she couldn't entirely blame him. She replayed what she had just said over in her head and it did sound like what she wanted was to end it with Josh. She finally found her voice and opened her mouth to speak.

"Is that what you want, Mick? You want me to break up with Josh?" she snapped.

"I want you to do whatever you need to do to be happy, Beth," Mick answered. It was the truth.

"That's all I've ever wanted for you," he added quietly.

"Maybe you're right," she sighed after a while. Mick sat back down and pushed the glass of water towards her. She took a long drink and set it down again. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes. They were trying to clear the air. Neither had really meant to argue like that.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I'm sorry too," she murmured back. As if on cue, her head began to feel fuzzy and her vision began to blur.

"Not again," she groaned, clutching her head. Mick got up and tried to reposition her body.

"Here lay down," he said gently. She stretched out on the couch and he rubbed her forehead lightly.

"Just relax," he breathed, continuing to massage her temples. Beth lay as still as she could, urging the discomfort and dizziness to go away.

"It's over," she said after a very long five or six minutes.

"Are they all like that?" Mick asked and she nodded. He helped her to sit back up slowly. He went and got her some more water. She downed it quickly. That was when the smell first hit him. It was very faint but it was there. It was a scent he recognized but only vaguely. He looked around but saw nothing. He turned back to Beth and it was as if the smell had intensified ten fold. It was the smell of vampire.


	5. Five

**Five**

"Mick…are you ok?" Beth asked. He'd gotten this strange look in his eyes. Mick blinked a few times.

"I think I know why you're blood pressure is so low," he said.

"You do?" she asked. He nodded and ran a hand over his eyes. This confirmed it. It was definitely his child. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Now he recognized the smell…it was his own. It was definitely mixed with human scent. So it had to be the baby.

"Mick," Beth called again. He opened his eyes.

"The baby…it has to be part vampire…it's feeding on your blood supply throught he placenta," he explained.

"You figured all that out because of my dizzy spells?" she asked.

"I can smell its scent," he said.

"It has a scent? It's a six week old fetus. It doesn't even have a brain yet," she shot. Mick shrugged. What else could he say?

"What does it smell like?" she asked after a minute. She had to admit, she was curious. Mick cleared his throat, trying not to laugh.

"Uh…a little like you…and a little like me," he admitted. She laughed aloud at his explanation. It made perfect sense.

"Do you think it will be born with fangs?" she snickered.

"I don't know," he answered.

They fell into a comfortable silence for a while. Mick was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that he was going to be a father. That somehow, even in his undead state he had managed to create a life. Finally, Beth let out a breath and went in search of her bag.

"What are you doing?" Mick asked.

"I need to make that doctor's appointment. We need to make sure that the baby is ok," Beth answered.

"Beth…how are you going to explain to a doctor that you are carrying probably one of the rarest occurrences in nature?" Mick asked bluntly.

"What do you mean how am I going to explain? I'm going to tell them I'm having a baby. They don't need to know it's part vampire," she responded.

"What if…what if something shows up on the ultrasound? What if the doctor sees something?" he pressed.

"What do you think the doctor would see?" Beth retorted.

"I don't know…and that's what I'm worried about," he answered.

"Everything will be ok. I mean…it will show up on ultrasound…right?" she mumbled.

"I hope so," he said. With that she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number her primary doctor had given her. It rang a few times before someone picked up.

"Gynecology and Obstetrics, Patricia speaking. How may I help you?" the receptionist said.

"Uh hi, my name is Beth Turner. I need to make an appointment with Dr. Brewer. Dr. Peyseur referred me," she said.

"Let me see if we got your file," Patricia said and Beth could hear typing on the other end.

"Here you are. When would you like to come in?" she said.

"What do you have available?" Beth asked.

"We have tomorrow morning," Patricia answered. Beth mouthed the word 'morning' to Mick and he shook his head.

"Do you have anything in the afternoon?" Beth asked.

"We have one at two fifteen," the receptionist replied.

"That should work," Beth said and hung up.

"Two fifteen tomorrow afternoon," she relayed.

"I'll pick you up," he offered.

"Thanks. I'll be at my apartment. I have the next two days off," she said.

"You…take time off. That's a new concept," he teased.

"I thought it would be best…since I haven't been feeling all that well lately," Beth stated. Just then her stomach gave a loud rumble.

"I'd uh offer you something to eat but…I don't really have anything," he said with a small smile.

"That's ok. I should probably get going. I'm kind of tired. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon," she said. Mick nodded and escorted her to the door. Before she left, he pulled her to him for a brief kiss.

"Drive safely," he called as the elevator doors closed. He slowly shut the door to his apartment and looked around. He knew that once Josh knew what had happened, Beth would be spending a lot of time here. He also figured she would want to raise the baby together. He was going to have to make some changes to accommodate a human and a baby.

Beth got home in one piece and immediately collapsed on the couch. She hadn't realized how tired she really was until then. She supposed it was because of the baby feeding on her. That concept sort of weirded her out. As she drifted out of consciousness she thought to herself that she would need to ask Mick if there was anything they could about her dizzy spells. She didn't want to be suffering from them for the rest of her pregnancy.

The following afternoon rolled around a lot faster than the previous one. Mick arrived at ten of two to pick Beth up. She was waiting for him outside. They didn't speak at all on the drive to the doctor's office.

"Are you nervous?" she finally asked as they walked in the front of the building.

"A little," he answered.

"Me too," she agreed as they found the office. Mick sat down and waited for Beth to join him. They worked on the family history questionnaire together, fudging what they could about Mick's history. Finally they were admitted into a room and Beth was instructed to lay back on the bed.

"The doctor will be with you in a few minutes. Just get comfortable," the nurse said. Mick had pulled a chair up next to her.

"So do you think it will be a boy or a girl?" she asked.

"I just want it to look and be normal," Mick answered as the door opened and a young woman with black hair walked in.

"Beth?" she asked. Beth nodded and extended her hand.

"I'm Dr. Brewer. It's nice to meet you. And you are?" Dr. Brewer said, extending her hand to Mick.

"Mick," he said.

"So…do you know how far along you are?" the doctor asked.

"Almost seven weeks," Beth answered. Dr. Brewer reached for a large tube and shook it a few times.

"This is going to be cold," she said as she squirted some of the ultrasound gel on Beth's stomach. Now that she looked at it, it did look like she was starting to show a little.

"Wow that is cold," Beth exclaimed as the gel hit her skin. The doctor gave her a smile as she started up the machine and placed the ultrasound camera on Beth's abdomen.

"Let's see what we can find here," she said, looking at the monitor. Mick looked at the screen. He could see the fetus in all its unattractive glory.

"We've got a spine developing here, from the tail. And there's the heart," she began, pointing out what looked to Beth like grey smudges.

"Looks like some appendages," Mick added.

"Yes…it looks like we've got some stubs there…and nice forebrain growth. You're baby is very healthy," Dr. Brewer agreed. Mick just flashed Beth a knowing smile.

"Well we'll want to see you back at in five weeks," the doctor said and handed Beth a towel. Beth wiped off her stomach and assured the doctor they would make the appointment.

"I told you nothing would happen," Beth hissed as they walked back to his car.

"I still think we need to make one more stop…just to try and get an explanation for all of this," Mick said as he put on his seatbelt.

"What do you mean…another stop? I'm kind of doctored out," Beth admitted.

"This isn't a doctor visit, don't worry," Mick said as he pulled out of the parking lot. Beth stared out the window as they drove, not paying attention to where they were going. She barely recognized where they were at first. As they stepped out of the car, it hit her.

"You think Josef might know what happened?" she asked.

"I hope so…or he knows someone who might have answers," Mick replied as they walked up to the front gate.

"Afternoon boys," Mick greeted. They nodded to him and let them up. Josef had tightened security significantly since the attempt on his life. They walked up the stairs but Josef was nowhere to be seen. Mick looked around, trying to smell his friend but it just wasn't happening. All he could smell was the child growing within Beth's womb.

"Josef?" Mick called out. There was no response at first. After a minute or two footsteps sounded from behind them and Josef appeared.

"Mick. Beth…to what do I owe this visit?" he asked. He had inhaled when he saw them, getting his with the mixed scent of vampire and human as well as the additional heartbeat. He could also see how much they cared about each other. He knew his and Sarah's story had unnerved them both to some extent but it seemed they weren't letting it hinder them.

"We need your help," Mick said.

"Ok…have a seat," Josef said. He had a feeling this was going to be one hell of an interesting story. They all took seats in the large closed in balcony.


	6. Six

**Six**

Beth and Mick looked at each other and then back at Josef. Mick assumed Josef had heart the second heartbeat if not smelled the child as well. Beth cleared her throat lightly and began to explain.

"I'm pregnant," she said. Josef nodding his head knowingly and she let out a small snort.

"But you probably knew that," she muttered.

"Congrats," he said. Beth couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you," she said. Abruptly, Josef stood up and motioned for Mick to do the same. Mick complied and followed Josef out of earshot of Beth.

"Would you like to tell me what the hell is going on?" Josef hissed.

"We are," Mick replied.

"That baby smells like a vamp, Mick…that isn't supposed to happen," Josef snapped.

"I know that. I don't know how it happened…but it did. And I was hoping you might know the answer to how," Mick stated. Josef scratched the back of his head and fidgeted with his hands in frustration. He had to hand it to Mick…he was good at getting himself mixed up with the bizarre when it came to vampire culture. The two vampires returned to the balcony. Beth shot Mick a look as if to ask 'is everything ok?'

"So…you're in a bit of a situation," Josef said. Beth nodded her head.

"Josef, do you know how it happened or not?" Mick demanded. He could tell Beth was getting tired.

"I'm trying to think," Josef shot back. He was wracking his brain, trying to think of some kind of plausible explanation as to how Mick had managed to impregnate a human. He stood up once more and began to pace around. As he continued to trace circles into the carpet beneath him, a thought slowly starting to form.

"Maybe…" he began, stopping to stand in front of them. Mick looked at him expectantly. He couldn't keep beating around the bush. He wanted answers now.

"What?" Mick demanded.

"I remember hearing about something like this a few centuries ago. A vamp managed to impregnate a mortal…but she died during childbirth," Josef answered. Beth paled considerably at Josef's remarks. Was she really at risk for dying if she carried this baby to the end?

"As fascinating as that is, how did it happen," Mick retorted.

"If I remember correctly, it had something to do with a blood connection," Josef answered. Then, it hit Mick. It made sense now. He had fed from Beth…they shared blood. But he'd only fed from her one time, months ago.

"Ok…that makes sense…you fed from me…" Beth said.

"But only one time. It couldn't have been just that," Mick replied.

"Well…did you…you know…" Josef said.

"Did I what?" he asked.

"Bite her," Josef hissed. Mick swallowed. He had bitten her when they had been together. But he hadn't fed. Beth instinctively touched her shoulder. The marks had faded but she still remembered them.

"Yes," both Mick and Beth answered in unison.

"So blood was blowing between you. That has to be it then," Josef said, looking somewhat satisfied that he had given them an answer.

There was a silence that fell over the room for a while, all lost in their own thoughts. Josef couldn't help but wonder how things might have been if he hadn't tried to turn Sarah...perhaps they too might have one day ended up in this situation. Beth was holding her hands over her stomach, trying to feel the baby even just a little. Finally, she got the courage to ask the question that had been now burning in her mind for the last few minutes.

"Do you think…I might die?" she asked. Mick stiffened at her question. He didn't want to even consider that she could die from this.

"I think with modern medicine, you'll be fine," Josef answered. Beth heaved a sigh of relief. However, her relief didn't last long. She was soon seeing blurs and her head was spinning. Mick caught her before she fell frontward out of the chair. He carried her to the nearby loveseat and laid her down.

"What the hell just happened?" Josef asked, a little taken by surprise.

"Dizzy spells. She's been getting them ever since she got pregnant. The baby is feeding on her," Mick said in one breath as he tried to make her comfortable. Josef rushed into the kitchen and returned with a warm compress. Mick was rubbing her temples like before when Josef handed him the warm cloth. Mick placed it over her eyes and Beth gave a soft groan. It was another seven or eight minutes before the dizziness subsided and she was well enough to sit up.

"They haven't lasted that long before," she mumbled.

"Get her some water," Mick ordered. Josef obeyed, returning moments later.

"You should have told me the baby was feeding on her," Josef said.

"Is there anything we can do?" Beth asked, the color still absent from her cheeks.

Mick and Josef shared a look. Josef gave a nod and Mick finally understood. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier?

"We could try blood transfusions, try to get the actual blood content circulating higher," Josef suggested.

"But won't that just give the baby to feed on?" Beth asked.

"The baby is used to feeding on y our specific blood type now," Mick began.

"She should be able to accept O- right?" Josef asked and Mick nodded.

"Then the baby should only feed on the O- portion of the blood…I can't guarantee that it will work but it' worth a try," he explained.

"Ok…well when can we start?" she asked.

"We can probably get the blood from Guillermo," Mick said.

"Where are we going to find equipment to do a transfusion?" Beth asked.

"Let me worry about that," Josef said.

"Thank you," Mick said, sounding truly grateful for his friend's help.

"You have a way of getting into bizarre situations, Mick…but it's never dull," Josef laughed. With that, Mick and Beth headed towards the stairs.

"I'll drop the equipment off at your place," Josef called. Mick just waved his hand as a 'thank you' as they descended the staircase.

They got to Mick's car and stopped. Beth wrapped her arms around Mick, holding him tightly. He embraced her back, not saying anything.

"I hope this works," she breathed, finally letting go.

"Let's hope it does," Mick agreed and they headed off in the direction of the morgue. The sun had gone down significantly and Mick was thankful. They pulled up to the back of the building and slipped inside.

"Wait here," Mick said.

"I'm going with you," she remarked. Mick let out a breath and they made their way to the autopsy room. They found Guillermo lounging by a dead body, drinking from a beaker.

"I swear every time I see you, you're drinking on the job," Mick said.

"Mick…hey," Guillermo said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What brings you down here?" he asked.

"We need some blood," Mick replied.

"I thought I just gave you a big order last week," Guillermo commented.

"It's not for me," Mick replied.

"Ok…I'm not even going to ask. What do you need?" the other vampire replied.

"O negative…as much as you can give me," Mick answered. Beth stayed silent, trying to get the smell of dead and rotting flesh out of her nostrils.

"I'll see what I've got," he muttered and disappeared around a corner.

"Wow…either this guy has b een dead a while or…my sense of smell is getting better," Beth whispered. Mick took a breath.

"He's been dead a while," he confirmed. Beth nodded, glad that she wasn't somehow starting to exhibit vampiric tendencies. Finally Guillermo returned with a large bag and handed it to Mick.

"That's as much as I could find," he said. Mick looked in the bag.

"Thanks," he said and led Beth out of the room.

"Do you think it will be enough?" Beth asked.

"It should last a while," Mick answered. Once again they found themselves surrounded by silence in Mick's car. Beth was resting her head against the window, letting her eyes slowly flutter shut. Mick had to wake her up when they got to his apartment.

"Do you want to lie down?" Mick asked.

"Maybe for a little while," she yawned. He led her upstairs to his spare bedroom and watched her climb under the covers.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked. He gave her that trademark smile of his and lay down next to her. She snuggled close to him and drifted off to sleep. He watched her slender frame rise and fall with every breath she took. He looked down at her stomach and couldn't resist touching it lightly.

Sometime later, he had managed to disentangle himself from her arms and found that Josef had indeed delivered the equipment. He hadn't expected his friend to stick around after doing so. He found Josef sitting in the living room, staring at the fireplace.

"How long have you been here?" Mick asked.

"A while…an hour or so," Josef answered.

"She's resting," he muttered.

"Good. She needs it," Josef said.

"When she gets up, we can do the first transfusion. The sooner she gets more blood in her, the better she'll be," he added. Mick nodded and sat down, waiting for Beth to wake up.


	7. Seven

**Seven**

It was another half hour before Beth appeared downstairs. She looked a little refreshed but Mick could tell she wasn't feeling much better than she had been earlier.

"Sleep well?" Josef asked.

"I guess," she murmured, eying the contraption set up across from the couch.

"Are you ready for this?" Mick asked.

"Let's do it," she answered, sitting down.

"You sure you don't need something to eat first. It's going to take a while," Mick explained. Beth thought about it for a minute. She hadn't eaten since lunch time and she had apparently slept for a few hours.

"Maybe something to eat would be good," she agreed. After a little confusion, Beth ordered a pizza. It arrived twenty minutes later, leaving Mick and Josef to watch with longing as she ate. She felt guilty, eating in front of them and not offering them any. But she knew they couldn't eat it even if they wanted to.

"Ok…now I'm ready," she said, wiping the corners of her mouth. Mick tossed the empty box while Josef set her up.

"So how long is it going to take?" she asked.

"About half an hour," Josef answered.

"We'll see how long it lasts…then we'll figure out how often you need them," Mick added. So the three of them sat there for a half hour, all watching the blood swirling into her veins. She could feel the drained sensation she'd been feeling for the last seven weeks begin to disappear. She hadn't realized she had lost so much blood to the baby.

"How do you feel?" Mick asked, changing the bag expertly. Sometimes it paid to be in the army.

"Better," she answered.

"Good," he said. He was glad that the transfusion seemed to be working. By the end of the half hour, they had gone through two and a half bags of blood. Mick gently pulled the needle from her arm and handed her a piece of gauze to staunch the bleeding.

"Wow…I feel like my old self," she remarked. It was truly an exhilarating feeling.

"Hopefully it lasts for a while," Mick murmured.

"So…I'm going to leave you two alone. I'm missing poker night," Josef said and stood up.

"Thanks," Mick said. Beth stood up and wrapped her arms around Josef briefly.

"Thank you," she said. Josef gave her a small pat on the back and walked out.

"I think you scared him," Mick teased.

"I did not," she replied, smiling.

"So…do you think it's a boy or a girl?" she asked.

"I think…it's an it right now," he answered. Beth let out a snort of laughter.

"Well…I should probably get home. I have to go back to work tomorrow," Beth sighed. She didn't really want to go home. She wanted to be with Mick. Carrying his child was making her feel a lot closer to him.

"You're welcome to stay here," he offered before he could stop himself.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said but grabbed her jacket nonetheless and headed out the door.

Mick lay awake for a while in his freezer that night, just letting it all sink in some more. He was getting excited about the prospect of fatherhood. Of course there were a lot of questions he would like answers to but knew they didn't exist, not yet at least. He finally let his mind quiet enough to fall asleep around sunrise.

The next few weeks passed by relatively normally. Beth hadn't needed a new blood transfusion yet and Mick was hoping she might make it without another one. Unfortunately, the day of her end of trimester ultrasound, she called Mick, feeling light headed and woozy. Mick woke up to the blaring of his cell phone. He pushed the lid up on the freezer and stumbled out, grabbing a pair of pants in the process.

"Hello?" he said groggily.

"Mick…" Beth called from the other end. Her voice was shaking.

"Beth, are you alright?" Mick asked, his brain fully alert now.

"I…I fainted again," she managed to get out.

"Where are you? I'll come get you," he told her, panic starting to rise within him.

"I'm at my apartment," she answered. Mick ran a hand through his hair and looked around.

"Alright, just…don't do anything too quickly. I'll be there as fast as I can," he said. He hung up and grabbed a shirt and shoes. On his way out he grabbed the transfusion machine and the bag of blood. He didn't look at the gas gauge as he sped down LA streets. He didn't care if he was speeding. Beth and the baby needed him. His car screeched to a halt in the parking lot. He struggled out of the car and up to her apartment with all the equipment. He tried to knock but his hands were too full.

"Beth," he called. He heard footsteps from within and Beth pulled the door open. She stepped back, giving him enough room to get inside. Together they set up the apparatus and started Beth on a new infusion.

"I was hoping it would last longer," Beth sighed.

"It lasted almost five weeks," he reminded her.

"Guess this one will last another five…that will get us to seventeen weeks," she sighed.

"We can worry about mapping it out later," he said, sitting next to her and squeezing her hand.

"Thanks for coming over," she murmured.

"Any time," he said. She rested her head against his shoulder as fresh blood flowed into her body. She was starting to feel more awake and alert, the signs that it was working. She was still amazed at how quickly it took effect.

"So what time is the appointment this afternoon?" Mick asked.

"Three forty five," she answered. She glanced down at her stomach. She was definitely starting to show. If Josh had noticed, he hadn't said a word about it. It worried her a little. She kept putting off telling him what was going on. Whether it was fortunate or not, she wouldn't have to wait much longer.

"Have you heard anything about Coraline? How she just disappeared from the hospital?" Beth asked.

"No…she's in the wind. But I get the feeling she's a vampire again…the cure was only temporary," he sighed. He got up to change the bag of blood and caught a whiff of its distinctive smell.

"We probably have enough…if you wanted some," she said.

"I'll be fine. I'm more of an A kind of guy. O is a little too rich for me," he said.

"Right," she laughed. Just as he was about to sit down there was a knock at the door. Beth's heart skipped a beat. She looked frantically at the clock and her heart skipped another beat. Josh had said he was going to stop by this morning before trial. He said he had something for her. Both Mick and Beth watched with baited breath as the doorknob turned and Josh walked in.

"Josh," Beth yelped, almost pulling the needle from her arm.

"Beth…what the hell is going on?" Josh asked, noting the apparatus and Mick.

"I can explain," Beth said, her voice losing its confidence.

"No, let me explain," Mick interjected. He didn't want Beth to get upset and faint again. She wasn't back to full strength yet.

"I want to hear it from her," Josh snapped, his eyes never leaving Beth. She swallowed a couple times as he walked closer. His hand reached out to pull the needle out.

"Don't!" Mick shouted. Beth swatted his hand away from her arm.

"Please, Josh. Don't touch it," she said.

"I don't know what the hell you think you're doing to my girlfriend," Josh began, ready to take a swing at Mick.

"I'm saving her life," Mick shot back, ready for the blows to come.

"Josh…listen to me. Mick isn't doing anything to me, except helping me," Beth said. Josh looked at her and sunk into a chair.

"Then what is going on here?" he grumbled.

"I've been a little…sick lately. The blood helps," Beth began. She knew she had no choice now but to tell Josh the truth. She'd been putting it off for so long, hoping she would find some easy, gentle way to let him down.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, taking her hands in his. Her body stiffened instantly at his touch.

"Because…it's complicated," she answered. She shot Mick a look and he nodded at her. He was keeping an eye on the blood bag. Even if this did get ugly, he was going to finish the transfusion, for both their sakes.

"Josh…I'm pregnant," she admitted.

"Honey, that's great," Josh exclaimed.

"There's more," she mumbled.

"The pregnancy…I have this disorder…the baby is taking too much blood through the umbilical chord…it's why I have to get blood," she said. Come on, tell him the truth. The baby isn't his.

"How…how far along are you?" Josh questioned.

"Three months," she mumbled. Mick moved quietly behind the couch to change the bag a second time.

"You're going to be ok though, right? I mean after the baby is born," he inquired.

"I should be…but Josh…the baby…it's not yours," she finally got out.

"W-What? What are you talking about?" Josh babbled. And then it clicked. Why hadn't he put it together sooner.

"I should have told you months ago but I was scared…and confused," she began. She knew he didn't want to hear her apologies. They all sounded so lame now that she was saying them out loud.

"How could you?" Josh spat, standing up and advancing towards Mick.

"It's not something we planned," Mick said defensively.

"So you just happened to seduce her?" Josh shot heatedly.

"No. You're not going to understand this…but Beth and I…we have history…long before you. It's hard to explain but its still there and we've stopped trying to pretend it doesn't exist," Mick replied, trying to stay calm. Josh took several deep breaths. It wouldn't do him any good to lose his temper, not when he had a trial to get to. He looked around the room and threw his hands up in defeat.

"I…I have to go. I'm going to be late for court," he mumbled and stormed out. Beth watched him go and felt the tears falling like rain down her cheeks. Mick sat next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I feel like such a bad person," she sobbed.

"You're not. Break ups are never easy," he whispered.

"I was so scare he was going to hit you," she sniffled. Mick just wiped the tears away.


	8. Eight

**Eight**

Another couple weeks passed by and Beth was spending more time at Mick's apartment. She hadn't talked to Josh since he found she was pregnant and she was getting worried. He wasn't the kind of person to keep a grudge but this was very touchy territory. Beth was sitting on the couch, snacking on a bowl of popcorn when Mick appeared. She had to admit it was a little strange not sleeping in the same bed with him. Of course, she really didn't any desire to sleep in a freezer.

"Did you just get home?" Mick asked, sliding into the vacant seat beside her.

"No…I got home a while ago. I've just been relaxing," Beth answered.

"Is Mo giving you time off?" he asked.

"Yeah…starting next week," she said. Beth couldn't help smiling at Mick. He was always watching over her. With a smirk he reached over and picked p a kernel of popcorn.

"Do I need to call 9-1-1?" she teased as he made to put it in his mouth. Mick laughed and tossed it at her.

"Hey, you're going to pay for that," she giggled, sending a few flying in his direction. This continued for a few more minutes until both fell over laughing.

"Easy," Mick said, helping Beth back onto the couch.

"I feel like such a little kid," she snorted.

"You were an energetic kid," he commented. Had it been any other person, he was sure it would have produced an awkward moment. But Beth understood why he had watched over her.

"I get the feeling our baby is going to be energetic too," she said, looking down at her slowly enlarging abdomen.

"We're going to have to pick out names soon," he stated, brushing some kernels back into the bowl.

"I'm sure we'll think of something," she assured him.

"Just nothing to out there…" he said.

"What? You don't want to name the baby after a food group…or an herb?" Beth laughed.

"The kid's going to have a hard enough time growing up…it doesn't need to get picked on for being named Apple Pie," Mick retorted.

"Yeah…you have a point," Beth agreed and tried to get her breathing under control. Just then there was a knock on the front door. Mick glanced over at the security system to see Josef standing there.

"It's open," Mick called. The door swung open and Josef walked in. He noted the popcorn strewn across the table and floor.

"I'm not interrupting am I?" he asked with a raised brow.

"No," Beth and Mick answered simultaneously. Josef nodded his head and gave them a confused look but continued speaking.

"Anyways, just came by to see how the lovely couple was doing," he said.

"We're fine," Beth answered.

"The baby is…you know…growing and everything it's supposed to be doing?" he asked.

"Yes. The baby is growing normally," Mick informed his friend.

"Good…good. Uh…are you going to deliver at a hospital?" he probed.

"What's with all the questions, Josef," Mick demanded.

"I have your best interests at heart…but…given the circumstances….maybe it would be best if you had the baby here…in case something…unexpected happens," Josef explained.

"Unexpected….like what?" Beth asked.

"Oh…like the baby sprouts fangs and tries to bite someone," Josef answered.

"It's a baby…it doesn't have teeth," Mick interjected.

"No Mick…it's part vampire…we have no idea what it has and what it doesn't," Josef countered. Beth leaned her head back on the couch and sighed.

"Are you alright?" Mick asked.

"Yeah…I just…it's going to be so much easier once we know whether it's a boy or a girl…I'm getting tired of calling the baby 'it'," she explained.

"When do you find out?" Josef inquired.

"Two weeks," Mick answered.

"Well…think about what I said. Let me know what you think. I can help arrange things," Josef said and with a nod he headed out.

"Has he been acting weird to you?" Beth asked once he had left.

"Yeah…I think he's trying to live vicariously through us…becoming a parent is something most vampires don't even get the opportunity to do," Mick answered.

"Do you think he wishes it had happened to him and Sarah?" Beth posed.

"I think there are things about their relationship that we can't begin to understand," Mick said. It wasn't exactly an answer to her questions.

They spent the rest of the evening watching a movie. It felt so normal to just spend time together. Of course Mick had never really expected that he and Beth would end up together but it was nice to be more open with her.

"Sleep well," Mick said, kissing her briefly on the lips as she climbed under the covers.

"Are we going to need to get a little freezer?" she asked.

"What?" Mick asked, caught off guard.

"For the baby…I mean…will it need to sleep in a freezer," she explained.

"I don't know…we can get a little ice chest and keep it handy…" Mick mumbled. Beth yawned and gave a small nod. He watched her drift off to sleep and sighed. He could tell he would be staying up most nights with the baby. But he didn't mind. He would let Beth sleep.

A few more weeks passed and they found themselves at the doctor's office for her monthly check up. As per every visit, the nurse started by checking Beth's heart rate and blood pressure.

"Your pressure and heart rate are good. Whatever you're doing, keep doing it," she said.

"I will," Beth said and laid down on the table.

"You nervous?" Mick asked.

"A little," she answered. He squeezed her hand in comfort.

"Just…don't read the ultrasound before Dr. Brewer does. I don't thinks he likes it," Beth whispered just as the door opened and Dr. Brewer came in.

"How are you today?" the doctor asked.

"Good. Excited…a little nervous too," Beth answered.

"Big day…finding out the sex," Mick explained. The doctor nodded and set to work checking the baby for vital signs.

"The baby is growing beautifully. And it looks like the baby weighs about t en and a half ounces," Dr. Brewer explained. She ran the ultrasound machine around Beth's stomach a little more and gave a knowing smile.

"It looks like it's a boy," she said. Mick and Beth shared a kiss and Beth was trying not to cry.

"We'll see you back in a month," the doctor said and left Beth and Mick to celebrate.

"We're having a boy," Beth breathed. She couldn't stop grinning all the way back to the apartment.

The following few days, the pair startedto get the apartment baby ready. They had already moved all of Beth's belongings in weeks earlier.

"I think we should put the crib on that wall, there's less sun," Mick said.

"Then where are we going to put the freezer?" Beth replied.

"It can go next to it. There's enough room," he answered.

"I don't know…it looks a little cramped," she commented.

"Trust me…vampires don't move in their sleep," Mick assured her.

"Now you're sure we know what size we're looking for? I doubt anyone would help us find the right freezer for our little boy," she said.

"if we get one that is about a foot long then we'll be just fine," Mick said, resting his hand on her stomach.

"So have you had any thoughts about what we should name the baby?" Mick asked.

"I've been thinking…do you have any family names?" she said.

"Not really. And I've never really been a fan of juniors," he answered. She nodded, a little smile creeping onto her face.

"What are you smiling at?" he asked.

"Well I kind of have a name…Logan," she said. Mick turned it over in his mind for a minute; Logan St John. It didn't sound too bad. In fact, it had a nice ring to it.

"Where did you get that name?" he asked.

"Do you like it?" she pressed.

"It's got a nice ring to it," he said.

"Ok…so don't laugh…but it's the name of a character on a TV show I used to watch…Logan Echolls," she said, looking away.

"Logan…from Veronica Mars?" Mick laughed.

"Yeah," she admitted.

"Wasn't he kind of a bad ass?" Mick asked.

"Well…yeah…he had some trouble…but he was always there for Veronica when she needed him," Beth answered.

"So…is it a keeper?" Beth asked, sounding hopeful. Mick looked into Beth's eyes and then down at her stomach.

"Definitely…what better name to give our kid…he's bound to be a handful," Mick answered, giving her a kiss. Just as they pulled apart there was a commotion downstairs, drawing Mick and Beth. Josef was standing in the middle of the living room, looking frantic.

"There is such a thing as a doorbell. I know you've been around a while and it's a novel concept but-" Mick began but Josef cut him off.

"Coraline…is back," he huffed.

"What?" Beth and Mick gasped in unison.

"I don't…I think she's coming here," Josef heaved.

"You need to get out of here," Mick said, taking Beth by the hand and going in search of her jacket.

"Don't you think I'll be safer here?" Beth protested.

"I don't want you here with her around. If she finds about Logan…" Mick trailed off.

"Nice name…you know there is this fascinating TV character with the name Lo-" Josef started.

"Can you get her out of here please," Mick interrupted.

"Right…sorry. Come on," Josef said, leading Beth out the door. She shot a look over her shoulder as Mick disappeared out of view.


	9. Nine

**Nine**

Mick took several breaths as he watched the door close behind Josef and Beth. He knew she'd be safe with Josef but Mick couldn't help worrying that Coraline would still find out. Mick headed towards his office and shut the door. He needed to be prepared for whatever was about to happen. He had a feeling that Coraline was no longer human. Something inside of him just kept saying she was a vampire. His hands began pulling open drawers. He grabbed a couple of stakes just to be on the safe side. Just as he shut the last drawer, he heard the front door open.

"Coraline," he mumbled and opened the office door. He walked into the living room to find her standing there, her hair framing her face.

"Hello, Mick," she said, her voice husky.

"Where did you go?" he asked, taking a step closer.

"I could feel it happening…it was so cold," she whispered, reaching up to touch his face.

"It's not a cure then," he mumbled. Part of him was disappointed but there was a new part of him that new if his son was going to survive in the world, Mick would need to be a vampire.

"I called out for you," she breathed, brushing her lips against her cheek.

"You shouldn't have come back," he told her.

"I came back for you, Mick. Don't you love me anymore?" she replied.

"I will always care about you, Coraline. But I've moved on," Mick told her, taking her hand I his.

"It's Beth isn't it," she sighed. Mick stepped back and didn't speak. It was about Beth. But it was Coraline that had chosen Beth twenty-two years ago. If she hadn't kidnapped Beth, then maybe Mick wouldn't have fallen in love with her.

"You made it about Beth when you took her," he finally said.

"I wanted to save us," Coraline explained.

"You wanted something that we couldn't have," Mick shot. How hypocritical he sounded in his own mind. He had managed to make it happen.

"She wouldn't have grown up. She would have been a little girl forever," Mick continued.

"Why do you want to be human, so badly, Mick?" she asked.

"Because I never asked to be turned. You took my life from me," he accused.

"I wanted to be with you forever, Mick. Can you really blame me for wanting to spend forever with the man I love?" she countered. Mick let out a frustrated sigh.

"No," he admitted. She looked around and took a breath in.

"She's been here," she commented.

"Leave Beth out of this," Mick spa.

"Like you said Mick, it's all about her," Coraline taunted. Mick's body tensed at her tone. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a stake, brandishing it at her.

"You wouldn't really kill me, would you?" she whispered.

"Yes, I would. You're not going to go after Beth again. It was my mistake the first time. I should have made sure you were gone. This time…I'll know better," he shot.

Over at Josef's apartment, Beth was pacing back and forth in front of a long table. Josef was sitting at the end just watching her. He couldn't deny that was a usually attractive woman. Her large stomach only seemed to intensify that beauty. Maybe it was all the extra blood pumping through her veins that was drawing him to her.

"You can sit down if you want," he muttered, feeling the need to break the silence that had fallen between them.

"I should be there," she said.

"Mick is just trying to keep you safe…both of you," Josef replied. Beth stopped pacing and turned to face him.

"Do you think she's a vampire again?" Beth asked.

"I do. It wasn't a cure…not a permanent one at least. Believe me, if she found out you were carrying his child, she would freak out, ok," Josef answered.

"You think she'd try and hurt Logan?" she breathed, finally sitting down.

"No. Mick would never let that happen," he assured her. He couldn't resist placing his hand atop her gently.

"He still has feelings for her, you know," she muttered.

"He needs to just let her go. He has so many better things in his life than her," Josef complimented.

"Thanks," Beth said with a smile.

"I just hope he's ok. I can't stop thinking about the night he saved me. It's not all there…but what I can remember…was so scary," Beth breathed.

"He's fine, I'm sure," Josef said, trying to reassure himself as well.

"I hope so. I don't think I could raise Logan by myself…and not just because being a single parent is hard," she mumbled.

"If I know Mick like I think I do, he's going to make sure to find a permanent solution to the Coraline problem," Josef said. Beth just nodded, resting her free hand atop her stomach.

Back in Mick's apartment, he was twisting the stake between his fingers. Coraline's eyes were following the object's movements carefully. She was trying to gauge whether he was going to be true to his word or not.

"If you were going to use that, you would have done it already," she said.

"I don't like killing people. I'm giving you the opportunity to just leave and forget about Beth and I," he said.

"Mick…I can't leave you. I spent so much time trying to find the right time to see you again," she cooed.

"Then I'm sorry," he whispered and plunged the stake into her stomach. It never ceased to amaze Mick how caught off guard vampires are when they get staked. Her mouth hung open in pain as she fell to the floor. She couldn't move, her eyes just staring up at him, begging him for mercy. He let her see the second stake just to make sure she didn't try anything. After all, she'd managed to get free of the stake twenty-two years earlier. He reached for his cell phone and walked a little ways out of her hearing range. As quickly as he could, he dialed Josef's number. Josef felt his phone ringing and picked it up.

"Mick?" he asked tentatively.

"I staked her," Mick said. He sounded out of breath, like he'd just run a marathon.

"Ok…what are you going to do with her?" Josef asked.

"I…I don't know," Mick admitted.

"I…put Beth on," he rambled. Josef held the phone out for Beth. She snapped it up and pressed it to her ear.

"Mick…thank god you're alright," she breathed.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"With Coraline," he expounded.

"I don't want her to be around…near our son," she said. She was trying not to think of the things Coraline could do to their unborn child…or even after he was born. Coraline hadn't hesitated in kidnapping her when she was a child. Certainly she wouldn't think twice about kidnapping another.

"I know…but…I just can't…" he trailed off. Why was he having such a hard time this time around killing her. He hadn't hesitated two decades ago. What made now different?

"I understand. We can figure it out together. Please…let me come home," she assured him and handed the phone back to Josef.

"We'll be over," Josef said.

"No…keep Beth out of this," Mick ordered.

"I'll try but you know how she gets," his friend said and hung up.

"Come on. You need to stay out of sight when we get there. He doesn't want her to see you," Josef said.

"Ok,' Beth mumbled and followed Josef down the stairs. They arrived at Mick's apartment and Beth waited outside of Mick's regular office. She didn't like that she couldn't be there. Coraline was a part of her past her past as well. She watched Josef walked a few doors down and into the apartment. Josef walked in to see Mick sitting on the couch, just staring at Beth's latest ultrasound. He was trying to keep Coraline from seeing it. Maybe Logan was the reason he couldn't kill her. He didn't want his child to knw he'd taken a life that he had once held so dear.

"Mick," Josef spoke. Mick looked up and set the image down. Josef stood at an angle that would still block Coraline from seeing the ultrasound.

"I can't do it, Josef," he said.

"I'll handle it, I promise. Consider it…my present to the little guy," Josef whispered. Despite the morbid nature of Josef's promise, Mick couldn't help smiling. Josef walked over to Coraline and pulled the stake out. She let out a groan as the pain shot through her body.

"What are you doing?" she coughed, feeling her body start to heal the wound.

"Taking care of something for a friend," Josef answered, pulling her to a sitting position.

"Josef…please," she begged.

"No. Your tricks aren't going to work this time, Coraline. You've had your run. It's time for it to end," Josef said and led her out of the apartment.


	10. Ten

**Ten**

Beth rolled over as best she could and sighed. It had been almost three months since Coraline had showed up and Josef hadn't told them what he'd done. She knew Mick didn't want to know. Beth could understand his reason for not wanting to know. She closed her eyes, trying to fall back to sleep but Logan had other ideas.

"Ugh," she groaned and sat up. She saw that it was only three in the morning. Grabbed a cover up she wandered downstairs to find Mick staring at the fireplace. He looked up when she appeared.

"What are you doing up?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep. The baby's awake and kicking," she yawned, slumping into the next seat next to him. He slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him.

"Don't worry. Once he comes you'll get to sleep," he said.

"Last I knew, you get less sleep with a newborn," Beth said.

"Yeah well…how often is one of the parents a nocturnal creature?" Mick retorted.

"Good point," Beth said with a small laugh.

"I can't believe he'll be here in a month," she said, watching the flames dance around in the fireplace. Mick grinned and rubbed her upper arm.

"Yeah. It's going to be an experience," Mick stated.

"A thrill ride that never ends," Beth snickered. They sat there for a while longer, just enjoying each other's company. Finally Beth began to feel drowsy again. Mick picked her up and carried her back to bed before climbing into his freezer.

Ten o'clock rolled around and Beth finally got up. She knew Mick would still be sleeping as she walked into the kitchen and rummaged through the fridge. Maybe this arrangement really would work out for both of them. She could be up during the day with Logan and Mick would get time at night. She grabbed some eggs and set to making an omelet. She was just about to sit down and eat there was a knock on the door. She stood and made her way through the living room to the door. She looked at the monitor to her left and her heart skipped a couple beats. Her hand shook as she pulled open the door.

"Josh…what are you doing here?" she asked. They hadn't talked in over five months. She had thought they weren't going to ever talk again. In fact, she had kind of settled on that as the reality of the situation. She'd been wrong.

"Honestly…I asked myself that question all the way here," Josh said, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Uh…come in," she said, pulling the door open farther. She looked around to make sure nothing glaringly obvious was lying around. Everything looked clear and she led him into the kitchen. There was no reason she couldn't eat her breakfast and talk to Josh at the same time.

"So…how've you been?" she asked around a mouthful of food.

"Alright," he muttered.

"That's good," she said. It felt so awkward to be sitting in Mick's kitchen talking to Josh.

"How's the Buzz?" he asked.

"Good I guess…I stopped working a couple months ago," she answered.

"So how are you paying for your apartment?" he blurted.

"Uh…I terminated my lease. I'm living here now," Beth replied. Josh just nodded his head. It made sense that she would move in with Mick. She was having his child after all.

"I just wanted to say…I'm sorry for the way I acted," he said.

"Josh you don't have to apologize. I was the one who was keeping secrets," Beth said, waving his comment away. Neither of them noticed the footfalls on the stairs until Mick appeared in the kitchen.

"Morn-I didn't mean to interrupt," Mick said, spotting Josh.

"No please, interrupt all you want. It's your place," Josh said and started to stand up.

"You want some coffee?" Mick offered. Josh shot a glance at Beth and back to Mick.

"Sure," Josh sighed. Mick set to brewing a pot of coffee. Several minutes later, Mick pushed a cup across the table to Josh. Beth reached for another cup but Mick stopped her.

"The doctor said no caffeine," he reminded her.

"Not even just a little?" she begged.

"No. We don't need your blood pressure taking a skyrocket now that it's stable," Mick said.

"So you're uh…doing better?" Josh asked.

"Yeah…" she answered. She couldn't exactly tell him they'd had to do another transfusion a couple weeks ago. He didn't need to know that.

"Good. That's really good to hear. So when are you due?" he rambled.

"Uh…a little more than four weeks from yesterday," Beth answered proudly.

"Well…I hope all goes well," he said, setting the cup down. He stood up and pulled his jacket back on.

"I just wanted to stop by to say best of luck and uh…maybe we can have coffee sometime…when you can have coffee again," Josh said.

"Yeah," Beth answered and walked him to the door.

"Really, you don't have to apologize. But I'm happy you stopped by," Beth said. They shared a very brief, chaste kiss before he walked out.

"You ok?" Mick asked as she sat back down.

"Yeah I guess…it was just weird seeing him again," she murmured.

"I think you should do it…see him after you have Logan. You two were close. Don't act like it never meant anything. You can still be friends," Mick said.

"So do you think he'll be able to eat food?" Beth asked. She'd been mulling questions over in her head, questions that they wouldn't really need to know the answer to for a few years.

"We'll find out. He'll need blood regularly. I'd imagine he'd need formula or breast milk too," Mick answered.

"Let's hope he doesn't have fangs. Because there is no way I'm breast feeding him if he bites," Beth laughed.

"I don't think he'll mind feeding from a bottle," Mick stated. Beth grinned and cleaned up the dishes. Mick headed down the hallway to his office to meet with a few potential clients and Beth wandered back upstairs to her room. They'd gotten the crib ready as well as he freezer. She bent down and opened the lid.

"I hope you fit in this," she said, looking down at her stomach.

Another few weeks passed by and Beth was ready to pop. She was lying on the couch, watching the fireplace when she felt a very uncomfortable sensation in her lower abdomen. She looked down to see a large wet spot now soaking into the cushion beneath her.

"Oh no," she breathed and struggle to get up. She tried to make her way upstairs but found it difficult. She finally made it and grabbed the suitcase she'd had packed since the previous week. Next she quickly changed her pants and lugged the luggage down the stairs. She was heaving for breath when she knocked on the office door.

"Come in," Mick's voice called. Beth stumbled in and the couple that Mick was meeting with looked at her in annoyance.

"Beth…what's-" Mick began to ask but he could smell the change in her body.

"We have to go," she said, trying to take slow, calming breaths.

"Excuse me but this is a private consultation " the woman said.

"So sorry but we really need to go, Mick," Beth said, clutching the doorframe as she tried to support herself. Mick was on his feet and at her side in a matter of seconds.

"Can we reschedule? She's going into labor and I've got to get her to the hospital," Mick asked. The woman's features softened a little.

"Sure," she said. Mick helped Beth out into the hallway and over to the elevator.

"The bags are already down on the first floor," she gasped.

"Ok…just take slow breaths," he said. They reached the ground floor and Mick picked up the bags. Moments later, Mick was speeding down the highway towards the hospital.

"Are you having contractions, yet?" he asked.

"I don't think so…it's just kind of uncomfortable," she answered.

"Did you notice what color fluid it was?" he pressed.

"I appreciate you trying to assess the situation but can you just drive," Beth shot. He looked at her but stayed quiet.

"It was clear," she muttered.

"Good…that's a good sign," he muttered and pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. He supported her through the front doors and up to the front desk.

Several hours later, Beth was gripping the bed rails, crying in pain. Mick was trying to help regulate her breathing but she wasn't in the mood to listen.

"Drugs…I want drugs," she groaned.

"The doctor doesn't think that's such a good idea…it might slow the baby's heart rate down," Mick told her as her body relaxed.

"You're not the one feeling like your whole body is being ripped a million different directions," Beth grumbled.

"Well, it shouldn't be much longer. For a first time mom, your labor is progressing fairly quickly," the nurse said.

"You're about seven centimeters along," she added.

"I'll be back to check on you in about a half hour and see where we are," she said and walked out.

"Can you close the blinds some more?" Beth asked. Mick had tried to close them as much as he could earlier but tried to close them more.

"That better?" he asked.

"Yeah…I just don't want the sun to hit him," she said.

"Everything is going to be fine," he whispered, stroking her cheek.

"Did you call Josef yet?" she asked.

"I called about an hour ago. He'll be here sometime tonight," Mick replied.

"Do you think he'll say yes to being Logan's godfather?" she questioned.

"I think he will…though we might be getting in over our heads on this one,' Mick answered with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

When the nurse came back in a half hour, Beth had dilated another centimeter and a half. Beth's contractions had started to come closer together and kept intensifying. Mick watched the monitor, rising and falling as it documented the baby's heart beat. But he was also listening to make sure everything was ok. Around six fifteen Beth was ready to start to pushing. She gave a good first push and the top of Logan's head crowned.

"Come on, Beth. Give another push like that," Dr. Brewer said. Beth bore down, trying as hard as she could. She was exhausted from the contractions and she just wanted the pain to stop.

"Good,' Mick coached as the baby's head and shoulder slid out.

"One more," he told her, kissing her hand. She squeezed his hand tightly as she breathed through another contraction.

"Happy Birthday little guy," Dr. Brewer said, laying Logan on top of Beth's stomach.

"Hi there," she said, looking at the infant wiggling atop her belly. He gave several loud cries before the nurses took him over to weigh and measure him.

"A nice healthy baby. Seven pounds even. Seventeen and three quarter inches," the nurse told them as she handed the baby back to Beth. Just as the nurse turned her back, Logan gave a large yawn. Both Beth and Mick checked and were happy to see no fangs. He looked up at his parents and blinked a couple times. Some time later, Josef arrived with some balloons.

"How is he?" Josef asked. Mick was cradling the baby in his arms.

"He's perfect," Mick answered softly. Beth had fallen asleep not that long ago.

"Nothing…unusual?" Josef pressed.

"No…no fangs if that's what you're asking. So have you thought about our request?" Mick answered.

"Yes…I'd be honored. It's not everyday a vampire becomes a father," Josef replied.

"Do you want to hold him?" Mick murmured. He handed the baby off to Josef who stared at the tiny life in his arms. He still had that mixed scent of human and vampire but he looked human by all accounts.

"Get ready Logan St John. You've got quite a life ahead of you," he whispered.


End file.
